text:
UK businesses have paid out an average of more than £878,000 per incident over the last three years due to hackers successfully accessing cardholder data, says research just published by Worldpay, the credit and debit card transaction processor. And, says the processor, of those companies whose customer card data was hacked over the last year, 61 percent were small businesses.
Worldpay also says that operators in the electrical, hardware, and automotive industries have had more card data security breaches than any other, followed by pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and clothing retailers.
This cost, paid out to third parties who undertake forensic investigations into the fraud and make repairs, is the result of a wider problem facing businesses and consumers, says the company.
The situation is made worse by the fact that Worldpay's data shows that the number of credit and debit cards at risk from security breaches in the UK has grown by 1,518 percent over the last two years - from under 200,000 cards to more than three million at the end of 2013. At least 6.57 million cards have been put at risk over the past three years, the processor notes.
According to Worldpay's managing director Dave Hobday, card payments and online purchases are becoming the norm as we move towards a cashless society, but with this trend comes an increasing degree of risk.
"While most large companies are strengthening their safety measures, there's been only a marginal improvement amongst small businesses," he said, adding that fraudsters tend to go after low-hanging fruit.
Small businesses, he went on to say, are easy prey, so it's a real worry so many small businesses still don't see the value in security compliance.
"If we want to see genuine change, it's important we support small business owners. A data breach can be financially crippling – just the investigation alone can cost thousands of pounds, not to mention fines and loss of reputation. Knowing the risks and practicing good security will protect you and your customers in the long term – and that has to be a good thing," he explained.
Phil Turtle, chief communications officer for the Data Centre Alliance, said that the message underlying the research - that smaller businesses need to improve their card data security processes - is likely to be missed completely.
"It's not that small businesses don't see the value in compliance, they mostly wouldn't even understand these words. All of this Internet security stuff is far too complicated for small businesses - who are already over-stretched in terms of time to do their core job - let alone look after the complications of Web sites, digital marketing and the almost incomprehensible area of Internet security," he said.
"What's more, we must conclude that SMEs need the banks and payment processors to complete the security systems for them, even if that means higher processing costs, because they are never going to have the skills or the time to do it themselves," he added.
Fran Howarth, an analyst and practice leader with Bloor Research, however, said that card fraud figures are actually on a downward trend at the moment, largely thanks to the increasing take-up of EMV (smart card) payment cards across Europe and beyond.
She also questioned the £878,000 average figure from Worldpay, saying that this amount may be too low, and noting that the Worldpay's split between card fraud in small and large businesses (61/39 percent) actually equates to the number of small and large businesses in the UK.
"My key takeout here is that there are now many additional options for smaller businesses to store their data securely in the cloud, which takes the security requirements out of their hands," she said.


text:
LG G4 Pro could be the first device LG Electronics will launch featuring a metal body.
As much as we want all-metal unibody on our smartphones, it’s not always easy for a mobile maker to switch from manufacturing plasticky cases for its smartphones, to manufacturing aluminium or other metal-based cases with just a snap of the fingers, because such manufacturing process takes time and use of special tools, machines.
LG Electronics is one of the few mobile makers that hasn’t unleashed yet a metal-made smartphone, however, according to South Korea publication ETNews , the OEM is contemplating whether or not to launch the next flagship phone with such coating.
LG is working on an LG G4 Pro, which could launch later this year, but whether it will sport a metal casing or not we will have to wait and see. We at Pocketdroid, don’t mind LG’s current use of leather and plastic materials on the flagship LG G4, in fact, we’d like to see LG using such materials on more G series devices.
What about you?

domain: news


text:
Piaggio Vehicles, an Italian automaker from the group that makes Vespa and Piaggio scooters, plans to revamp its transporter and freighter portfolio with an unprecedented 21 new models complying with strict emission standards that India would adopt next year.
For Piaggio, India accounts for a fourth of its global turnover. The new portfolio of electric, hybrid, CNG and LPG vehicles will not only help the company fight aggressively in the domestic market but also open new opportunities beyond India. The company is the leader in India’s three-wheeler cargo space. With the new range of vehicles, it is planning to reinforce its presence in the people-moving three wheelers as well.
Diego Graffi, MD, Piaggio Vehicles, told ET that after the introduction of new models, Piaggio will have the most complete range of products in the small commercial vehicle segment. “We want to grow in the alternative fuel segment. We have recently introduced new powertrains and now we have a complete range of powertrains — diesel, CNG, LPG,” Graffi said.
The company will be bringing in its electric three-wheeler with a swappable battery solution in the second half of 2019 to take advantage of the federal push towards electric-powered public transport.
Piaggio plans to invest about ₹200 crore over the next few years, of which a significant portion would go towards the introduction of a new range of BS VI three-wheelers.
Along with the expansion of portfolio, Piaggio is penetrating deeper into rural India.
Malind Kapur, senior VP, marketing and channel development, Piaggio Vehicles, said the company has the largest network in the SCV industry with 432 dealerships and more than 1,050 touch points. This network will be further increased to 500 dealerships and 1,200 touch points this year.
In the 10 months of this financial year, Piaggio India has grown its three-wheeler sales by 13% to 1.4 lakh units, with a market share of 25%. Exports during the period jumped 60% to 31,000 units. Twowheeler sales jumped 19% in the April to January period of FY19 to 66,000, with exports contributing an additional 17,152 units.
At the end of 2017, the Indian operation contributed 26.5% of Piaggio’s global turnover at €355.9 million and 41% of the company’s global sales 2.3 lakh units.
While the earnings of 2018 entire calendar year are yet to be reported, at the end of September 2018, the sales contribution from India went up to 44% at 2.1 lakh units, whereas the revenue contribution from India jumped to 28%.
Piaggio’s nine-month revenue jumped 43.3% to €1.1 billion, largely driven by the Indian operation that expanded 46% to €306.3 million.
ELECTRIC PUSH Piaggio will bring in its electric three-wheeler with a swappable battery solution in the second half of 2019 as the govt pushes for electric-powered public transport.
Is the American motoring dream in India coming to an abrupt and complete end? The answer looks affirmative. After the unceremonious exit of General Motors and Ford Motors’ complete sellout to Mahindra & Mahindra, the solitary American two-wheeler offering; Harley-Davidson is stopping production and scaling down operations to imported bikes only. This would leave the premium superbike market for the major European ones like Triumph, BMW, Ducati and Japanese rivals like Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. How will the luxury bike market and overall auto market pan out in a complete absence of American players? Chanchal Pal Chauhan reports.


text:
|Home page World|
Turkey's president on Monday said the country would support impact investments that would be vital towards achieving a sustainable economy.
Axar.az reports citing foreign media that speaking at the 11th Bosphorus Summit, Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted the importance of sustainability in investments, adding that a strategy of impact investments would have social and environmental benefits.
"The inclusiveness and sustainability of investments are as important as the magnitude of investments," he noted.
"Any investment that doesn't consider social good or create added value for sustainable development is an incomplete investment. Impact investments, which combine sustainability, social entrepreneurship and social responsibility, present important opportunities for humanity," Erdogan said.
2021.03.08 / 16:12


text:
New food court tenant at centre
IPSWICH: A shopping centre is celebrating a major coup with the imminent arrival of a tenant for its restaurant area.
The food court at Ipswich’s Buttermarket has stood empty for two years following the departure of Burger King, along with Potato Bakehouse, Coffee Express and a patisserie – but is set to welcome a new operator and undergo a �500,000 facelift.
The centre has been on the hunt for a new tenant ever since and is looking forward to the opening of a new burger bar with a sub-tenant which has yet to be announced, Just Spuds, a Mexican food operation called El Taco, and Bean 2 Cup, a cafe and cake bar which will also offer traditional English hot foods.
Management hopes that by Christmas, it may be able to reach its target of 100 per cent occupancy – currently two shop units and two kiosks remain to be filled.
“We are talking about the best part of a half-a-million pound refit so some serious investment, both from the landlord and the new tenant,” said centre manager Colin Roberts. “It’s absolutely fantastic news – we are absolutely delighted.”
He believes the new food hall, to be run by national chain BCL Foods Ltd, will make “a huge difference”, both to the centre and the town.
“It’s positive for Ipswich because in a lot of shopping centres now they just don’t have food courts. They have chosen Ipswich because of its potential. It’s a positive statement not just for the Buttermarket but for the town.”
- 1 Man detained after early morning incident in Ipswich road
- 2 Firefighters called to Ipswich house fire
- 3 Baby and toddler retailer Mamas & Papas set for Ipswich return
- 4 7 roadworks for drivers in Suffolk to be aware of this week
- 5 Woman injured after leg bitten by dog in Ipswich
- 6 Man who stole over £1,000 in power tools jailed for 876 days
- 7 New 99-room Ipswich Travelodge expected to open next year
- 8 Boy, 14, arrested after serious sex attack in Suffolk town is released
- 9 Some East of England Co-op stores unable to take cash
- 10 'Amazing start' for baker who sells treats out of horsebox
It is hoped that the court will be ready by late October or early November, he said, and that its arrival will more than make up for the loss of the Sony franchise shop.
Lamen Reddy, operations director at BCL Foods, a quick service restaurant company, said he expected a “considerable return” on the 280 to 300-seater food court even if it only reached 60 per cent plus of the sales Burger King achieved.
He expected to be in a position to announce the burger bar operator, which will be a sub-tenant, within a week or so, but the company would be running the other food operations itself.
n What do you think of the latest developments at the shopping centre? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
Search CSP Daily News
The latest news on gasoline, diesel and alternative fuel retailing
Agrees to pay $26,000 over tank violation allegations
Exxon Mobil Corp. will meet with its distributors and dealers in New Orleans to discuss the status of the business and its vision for the Exxon and Mobil brands
NYACS demands state enforcement for nonreservation, nontrust Indian stores
Offers cardholder rebates and wholesaler, retailer, employee incentives for signups
Eight tribal governments sharing $4.9 million
More Ill. stations offering ethanol-based fuel
Anonymous charges hard to investigate, Wis. officials say
Deal includes online product
Liability issue on front burner again
Get today’s need-to-know convenience industry intelligence. Sign up to receive texts from CSP on news and insights that matter to your brand.
The latest from CSP, sent straight to your inbox.
CSP’s Top 202 details the largest chains in the convenience-store industry and the biggest M&A stories of the past year. Welcome to a deep dive into the c-store landscape.
Category sales performance in Beverages, Candy, General Merchandise, Packaged Food/Foodservice and Snacks.
The industry’s largest distributors by sales volume
Corporate retail news affecting the convenience-store industry
The latest information on products and trends in the convenience-store and foodservice industries.
Peek inside new convenience stores to uncover the best in retail store design across North America.


text:
Recent data collected by the NDP Group shows that video game spending increased by 18% in March of 2021 compared to a year earlier. This brings the number to a record-high of $5.6 billion.
Gaming hardware sales had an especially good month jumping by 47% to $680 million. This breaks a March record set back in 2008 by products like Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
The Playstation 5 also had a record-breaking month. NDP reports that the device became the fastest-selling console in American history, both in dollars and units.
Jon Fingas is an associated editor for Yahoo! Finance. He gave his views on the growth of the video game market. “The PS5 and new Xboxes, meanwhile, are hampered by the combination of short supply and higher prices. They currently appeal most to enthusiasts and early adopters. That should change as shortages ease and prices drop, but you might not see it dethrone the Switch any time soon,” he wrote.
The NDP Group is a market research company that studies consumer trends. They conduct more than 12 million surveys each year and track almost 8 billion B2B transactions each year in North America.


text:
It happens every year around this time – every IoT company on the planet, whether it’s a giant platform company, an old-school manufacturing player, or a teeny start-up making Internet-enabled baby monitors issues its predictions about the market in the years to come.
The move is in the hope that IoT reporters looking for a quick story will write something with a headline like “Internet-enabled baby monitor market to reach $250 billion by 2040, according to cool company.”
Yet those predictions are, to put it kindly, all over the map. A McKinsey & Company estimate suggests that the economic impact of the IoT will reach $11 trillion by 2025.
IDC estimates that total spending on IoT will reach $1.2 trillion by 2022. Gartner forecasts 20.4 billion connected devices globally by 2020, and DigiCert says that 92 per cent of companies they surveyed said IoT will be “important to their business” in 2012.
There’s a lot of signal and also a lot of noise.
Probably the main reason for the difficulty in predicting where the IoT market at large is going to go is that there's no general agreement on a precise definition of the boundaries of that market.
Hence, the large number of large numbers purporting to describe the "size of the IoT market," which are frequently measuring very different aspects of it.
“Everyone knows it’s going to be big,” said Alan Griffiths, principal consultant with market researcher Cambashi. “And no one’s got the faintest idea, in my opinion, of how big it’s going to be.”
He talks to top technical people – CIOs and CTOs – for his estimates of the IIoT market, which gives him a better read on who’s buying what.
Griffiths’ research on the IIoT market highlights another important point: IoT trend predictions focused on more specific market segments, or on particular technologies, tend to be a lot more digestible. The relevant details needed to create such an analysis are easier to get, and it’s more difficult to make guesswork look presentable.
But different analysts still have different methodologies, according to 451 Research vice president Christian Renaud.
Many analysts base their estimates on their intimate knowledge of the vendor community – simply knowing that, hypothetically, a large proportion of the companies in a given segment aren’t interested in buying product X can be a powerful predictive tool.
“In our case, we do a lot of consulting projects for various clients throughout the course of the year, and we have our own syndicated data, doing surveys of customers about adoption plans and things like that, and that will, in the aggregate, form a composite opinion,” said Renaud.
While vendor predictions are occasionally just high-flown guesstimates about market size, vendors usually tilt research to make themselves look good in more subtle ways.
Phrasing survey questions so that respondents are likely to answer them in a particular way, carefully selecting the parameters of a given prediction – “the market for IIoT gateways that feature this particular combination of connectivity options is set to rise by 300 per cent year-over-year!” – you get the idea.
The accuracy of longer-term predictions tends to vary heavily by methodology. Simply measuring the CAGR of a given technology can give a quick-and-dirty estimate, based on current trends, but that frequently doesn’t tell the whole story.
Market trends change frequently, and deeper knowledge of the directions in which that change is likely to happen – based on a stronger understanding of a given market – typically leads to a better estimate of future figures.
Some of this, of course, is simple common sense – studies that include fully described and rigorous methodologies, those that use authoritative data (whether it’s unbiased surveys, data from widely accepted sources of demographic data like the World Bank or United Nations, and so on) and those that aren’t undertaken at the behest of a vendor are more likely to be accurate than others.
Defining the terms of a given estimate is a critical step to getting people to take it seriously, which is why estimates of the IoT market as a whole – whose boundaries are nebulous at best – should generally be taken with a large grain of salt.
“If you ever see a ‘there’s 175 billion IoT devices’ number from me, it means I’ve been kidnapped and that’s my call for help,” said Renaud.


text:
It may have been several decades since they first launched, but Opal Fruits are still reminiscent of greater days.
The popular sweets became a huge hit after hitting shelves all the way back in the 1960s and quite frankly, confectionery departments have never been the same since they were rebranded as Starburst, with new flavours to match. So you can only imagine our delight when we got news that the nostalgic sweets are official back.
The classic bags of fruity treats will return in stores at the end of February for a limited amount of time, giving all die-hard fans a chance to relive the glory days of sweets once again. Expect to see all the original flavours including strawberry, lemon, orange and lime as well as the old school packaging that is bound to have old memories rushing back.
The sweets, which were renamed Starbursts to match the US branding of the product, will be available to purchase in Poundland, B&M, Home Bargains, Iceland, Savers and The Range, retailing at £1 each. However, they won’t be available forever so make sure you get your hands on a bag when they first hit stores next month.
As exciting as the relaunch is, this isn’t the first time Opal Fruits have been brought back by popular demand. Back in 2008, Asda sold bags of the sweets for 12 weeks. So who knows, they could have a full revival soon – we’ve certainly got our fingers crossed!
Opal Fruits aren’t the only nostalgic treat to return to stores in 2020 – earlier in January, Cadbury announced the return of its beloved Bourneville Old Jamaica chocolate bar, which comprises squares of the dark chocolate studded with raisins and flavoured with rum.
Bethany Wenn, Bournville Brand Manager at Mondelēz International, commented: ‘The relaunch highlights the increasing consumer demand to bring back retro flavours.’
We hope there’s more to come!


text: HOT NEWS ONLINE TANZANIA Tanzania Agenda for Digital Economy-Impact on the Gaming Industry 2 weeks ago Adeleye Awakan Post Views: 136 The Tanzania Ministry for information and Communication Technology, as lay, is focused on transforming Tanzania into a digital economy for the upcoming fiscal year budget; achieving this goal, the agency is outlining key digital infrastructural projects for 2021/22. According to the Tanzania Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Faustine Ndugulile has disclosed that his ministry has presented at least 25bn shillings earmarked to achieve a digital economy goal for 2021/2022. During the budget presentation to the parliament, the agency is also strategizing on ways to generate revenue through Teletraffic Management System (TTMS) administered by the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) from mobile companies’ operator. In essence, the digital economy mantra by the authorities is to provide an enabling business environment and measures to ensure every citizen is involved in the digital agenda and building up the goal. However, it is a significant development for different sectors of the economy and businesses as the government want to embrace technology in full-scale, especially in an essential component of its economy. The digital economy mantra will significantly impact e-commerce, SME, and the gaming industry and aid business in generating substantial revenue and help the government accurate income generation for its entire agency. In contrast, some of the critical projects that the government has earmarked are to increase geographical network coverage in the country, which currently stood at 66 per cent. And there are looking forward to reaching more densely populated areas, mainly rural areas, through the partnership with Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF). At the same time, the authorities are working towards a partnership to establish a smartphone assembly factory in Tanzania and the ongoing fibre optic project in the country targeted to reach 80 per cent of the population. This initiative is, of course, geared towards an enabling environment to provide smartphones available at an affordable price which is essential for businesses that rely on the internet. In recent years, mobile money is the norm for bettors in the country to deposit and receive money. However, the increase in mobile money transactions has been necessitated by the rise of mobile phone subscribers. It has been the bedrock of the exponential growth of the Tanzania gaming industry. In contrast, in 2020, TCRA registered 48,939,530 SIM cards, making the registered number 53,063,085 as of April this year. Further, the upcoming project by the authorities to create a space for smartphone assembly in the country to make it available at an affordable price will assist in providing widespread use of smartphone devices. This will, of course, accelerate mobile online gambling and betting in Tanzania. The digital economy has been the main agenda in Tanzania for some time now as the country goal recalibrating by embracing the global agenda of the Fourth Industrial Revolution based on technology adoption. However, the government has shown its commitment to continue with the plan yearly and provide space to network and innovate with policymakers, funders, researchers, and other players in the innovation ecosystem. And to share what they have been working on, learn from and inspire each other, and collaborate across sectors and transform Tanzania through the scaling innovation by making digital Tanzania a reality and creating employment opportunities through innovations. Adeleye AwakanAuthor E-play Africa, sports betting reviews, thoughtful leardership articles in Africa gambling industry, marketing gaming platforms in Africa with strong networking relationship with gaming operators in Africa, Expertise in PR, marketing communication, and consultant on gaming in Africa. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Tags: Tanzania, technology, Teletraffic Management System Continue Reading Previous NetEnt’s World-Class Slots Portfolio Comes to BLOXNext Slots Category Sets New Records on Twitch More Stories ONLINE Pragmatic Play kickstarts supercharged €7,000,000 drops and wins promotion 3 days ago Iwo Bulski BETTING HOT NEWS RWANDA Rwanda Gaming Operators Reopened After one year 4 days ago Adeleye Awakan ONLINE WORLD NEWS Pragmatic Play launches Unibet’s dedicated Live Casino studio 4 days ago Iwo Bulski ONLINE WORLD NEWS TVBET expands in Mexico through the cooperation with Logrand Entertainment Group 4 days ago Iwo Bulski ONLINE WORLD NEWS Pronet Gaming boosts LatAm proposition with Vibra Gaming 4 days ago Iwo Bulski HOT NEWS NIGERIA ONLINE Microsoft Partnership – How it could Aid Nigeria iGaming Industry 5 days ago Adeleye Awakan ONLINE SOUTH AFRICA Why is online gambling so popular in South Africa? 5 days ago Samuel EGYPT ONLINE Can gambling and casino trademarks be protected in Egypt? 5 days ago Iwo Bulski ONLINE WORLD NEWS iGaming NEXT announces its dazzling 2021 online edition – Online: Bright Future 6 days ago Iwo Bulski NIGERIA ONLINE Nigeria says in talks with Twitter after suspension 6 days ago Samuel HOT NEWS ONLINE SOUTH AFRICA Smartphone users will reach 26 million in South Africa by 2023 7 days ago Szarlot ONLINE WORLD NEWS Nomination for Wazdan for the retro award at the CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards 7 days ago Iwo Bulski Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


text:
Samsung could be releasing the Galaxy Note 8 as early as January 2017 to gain back customers it lost after the Galaxy Note 7 disaster.
The “Sons of Anarchy” spin-off series “Mayans MC” has created immense buzz with fans hoping to relive the insane world of bikes once again.
Supercell should not falter in producing the “Clash of Clans” December update as “Pokemon GO” will take the game away if it gets an open field.
Niantic is expanding its nearby feature and “Pokemon GO” Ditto update is already live now.
“Pokemon Sun and Moon” players are bit frustrated with the “Call for Help” feature that they believe unnecessarily drags the battles and makes it tougher than what is required.
It would be a dandy if “Pokemon Sun and Moon” players cold grab a level 10 Salamence on the very first island.
If reports are to be believed, the “Pokemon GO” Thanksgiving event is now confirmed and CP changes have been revealed.
“Tom Clancy’s The Division” 1.5 update has introduced support for the new DLC and has also introduced tweaks and fixes.
While “Diablo 4” release remains in speculation, Blizzard is bringing fresh new update and “Rise of the Necromancer” DLC to keep fans hooked to their gaming consoles and computers.
It is possible that game developer Bethesda Game Studios is focusing on the fifth installment, which is causing the delay in release of “The Elder Scrolls 6” and “Skyrim” creator Todd Howard has expressed Bethesda’s desire to recreate “Fallout 4” in VR.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick teased that “Red Dead Redemption 2” will offer “incredible emotional depth,” “great gameplay elements” and “great story elements.”
Rockstar Games’ “Grand Theft Auto V” could soon be getting the single player DLC that fans have been waiting for eagerly.
There is a shortage of suppliers to meet the Cupertino tech giant’s demand for Apple iPhone 8 OLED panels.
Those who are looking to buy the Google Pixel and Pixel XL handsets, my wait for sometime as Best Buy and Verizon would soon be giving Black Friday deals on the smartphones.
Xbox One Scorpio will bring immense power and more and more games on Scorpio will hit 4K @ 60fps.


text:
Menswear brand Flag & Anthem scored a big deal just in time for football season.
The company announced Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey as its new brand ambassador for the Fall 2019 collection, which features flannel button-downs, elevated henleys, graphic T-shirts and denim at an affordable price point.
McCaffrey stars in the brand’s video campaign to draw up enthusiasm for the new collection and upcoming fantasy football and NFL season. Set in his native Colorado, the campaign video illustrates McCaffrey’s love for the brand and draws upon his Fantasy Football popularity. The partnership will live across the brand’s digital presence and social media channels, as well as include active engagement with Flag & Anthem’s core retailers.
“We are very excited to have Christian join our team as our newest brand ambassador,” Flag & Anthem cofounder Brad Gartman said in a statement. “Christian is a terrific representative of our core customer and adds a new dimension for Flag & Anthem to further engage the sports audience in an authentic way. We look forward to a long and successful partnership together.”
The campaign complements the brand’s sense of American pride. For instance, its bestselling jeans, the Nashville Straight and Oakland Slim, are named after prominent American cities. Flag & Anthem launched in 2016 as an authentic, vintage men’s brand. It has since expanded into women’s tops, and partnered with country music star Dierks Bentley on the brand’s Desert Son product line, which launched in Spring 2018.
To further increase customer engagement, the brand also boasts a college ambassador program, which taps real students across the country to represent the brand and extend exclusive promo codes to their networks.
The new collection is available online at www.flagandanthem.com and features pieces starting at $24.50.


text:
Greater Manchester restaurants are planning their own versions of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme this month.
The official government discount scheme wound down last week, after more than 100 million meals were claimed across the UK.
Participating restaurants slashed their prices in half on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August, with the government covering the difference in price.
There were calls by many to extend the offer into September to help footfall and consumer confidence - which were rejected.
However, many of Greater Manchester's businesses are going to be offering some sort of discount at their own expense this month, and beyond.
Here are some of the places you could scoop a bargain in September.
Know of some we've missed? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @CityLifeManc.
It's an absolute institution in Chinatown, and Yang Sing's got an extra draw to its Princess Street restaurant this month.
The family-operated restaurant is extending Rishi Sunak's deal into September, with 50% off the food bill on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As with the original scheme, there's a cap of £10 discount per person.
Argentinian steak restaurant Gaucho is exactly replicating the Eat Out to Help Out discount into September.
That means 50 per cent off food, Monday to Wednesday, up to a maximum of £10 discount per person.
The discount only applies to food and soft drinks and it can't be used with any other deals.
This trendy Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of Ancoats is going to knock 50 per cent off the food bill again this month.
Spends of up to £20 per person will be discounted every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this month.
Everything on the menu has been passed down through the generations - you can read our review here.
Foundation Coffee House
There are half-price bargains to be had at popular cafe and coffee shop Foundation too.
With two sites to choose from (one in the Northern Quarter and one over on Whitworth Street), customers will be able to grab 50 per cent off food every Monday throughout September.
The deal applies to eat in or takeaway food, from breakfast to brunch to lunch.
It's the same deal we all came to love this August, but this time San Carlo will be covering the difference rather than the government.
The popular Italian restaurant group has extended the Eat Out to Help Out discount this month.
As a reminder, that's 50 per cent off food and soft drinks, Monday to Wednesday, up to £10 per person.
Firefly and Zumu
Sushi experts Zumu are preparing to open a new concept inside Foodwell, at its cocktail bar offering Firefly.
Chefs will be preparing sushi on an iced sushi bar in front of diners, and offering a discount too.
You'll be able to knock 50 per cent off food Wednesday to Friday, including in the evenings.
River Restaurant at the Lowry Hotel
The Lowry will be taking its discounted offering right through until November at its luxurious River Restaurant.
Diners will be able to order three courses for just £14.95 on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of each month until November.
If you visit as a couple too, you can get a complimentary bottle of wine.
Here's one for the dessert fans, as Creams will be knocking 25 per cent off the bill right through until November.
You'll be able to scoop up discounted milkshakes, waffles, sundaes, cheesecakes, crepes and cookie doughs, Monday to Wednesday.
The dessert brand say they sold more than 300,000 milkshakes in August.
The popular Japanese noodle bar in Piccadilly Gardens is going to be tempting diners back again in September with another 50 per cent off deal.
Main dishes - including its signature tonkotsu ramen and its Garlicky Dracula ramen - will be half price, Monday to Wednesday this month, up to £10 per person.
The deal can't be applied to drinks, desserts or sides though.
Former Masterchef winner Simon Wood is extending the Eat Out to Help Out discount this month at his First Street restaurant.
The 50 per cent savings, up to £10 per person, on his Michelin-recommended food can be found on Wednesdays throughout September.
There are five, seven and 10-course tasting menus to choose from with all dietary needs catered to.
For some of the best pizza in Greater Manchester served with a nice discount alongside it, head to Tre Ciccio.
The Italian restaurant will be offering 50 per cent off food and non-alcoholic drinks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until the end of September.
The discount is available at its Altrincham or Ramsbottom restaurants and booking in advance is advised.
One of the earliest arrivals to the now-bustling Cutting Room Square is Elnecot, loved by locals for its brunches and Sunday roasts.
It's decided to keep offering slashed prices this month after the success of August's scheme.
Book in advance and quote EATOUTSEPTEMBER to nab 50 per cent off food, Monday to Wednesday.
You'll have to be quick to grab this discount, with Piccolino extending its Eat Out to Help Out discount until September 9.
The 50 per cent off deal is available for Club Individual members, but you can sign up through the app if you haven't already.
Another one you'll have to be quick off the mark to nab - Spanish restaurant La Bandera has also extended its offers for a few extra weeks.
The tapas joint on Ridgefield will be doing half price food between Mondays and Thursdays.
Their discount scheme is due to wrap up on Thursday September 10.
Masters of the enormous filthy burger, Solita are going to be dropping their prices again in September.
Here, that means 25 per cent off all food and non-alcoholic drinks, up to £5 per person, Monday to Wednesday.
As well as huge burgers - including the signature 'Big Manc' - you'll find wings, hot dogs, steaks and loaded fries.
Perhaps the most impressive savings of all can be found at Don Giovanni, one of the city's oldest restaurants.
They'll be knocking 50 per cent off all food, with no limit on the discount per person, between Sundays and Thursdays.
The only exceptions will be their premium menu items like lobster and steak, which will have a supplement applied.
Sundays will be the bargain days at Smokehouse & Cellar this month.
Tucked slightly below street level on Lloyd Street, the meat-heavy menu will be 50 per cent cheaper on Sundays throughout September.
It's up to £10 per head as a maximum discount.
Signature Steakhouse at Trafford Hall Hotel
Perched in the shadows of Old Trafford and a short walk from Salford Quays, Signature Steakhouse is offering discounts every single day of the week in September.
Food and drinks will be 50 per cent off between 12pm and 5pm, seven days a week when you book in advance.
Then between 5pm and 10pm, the discount will drop to 30 per cent.
Already announced restaurants continuing discounts
The Refuge, Manchester city centre
Run by the team behind West Didsbury's Volta, The Refuge restaurant and bar is the rather magnificent centrepiece of the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel (formerly The Palace/The Principal).
They're launching their own version of the Eat Out to Help Out deal in September, knocking up to 50 per cent off food up to a maximum value of £10 per person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
"Seeing as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been seriously popular with you all (and because we're feeling rather generous), we thought we might as well extend the discount for a little bit longer," bosses said.
The all-day menu is made up of small plates with global influences inspired by its DJ owners The Unabombers' travels: think salt cod croquetas, Keralan fish curry, lamb shawarma, and beetroot pakora.
Visit refugemcr.co.uk to book.
Peru Perdu, Manchester city centre
Based at the Whitworth Locke hotel's pop-up restaurant space The Cotton Factory, Peru Perdu serves Peruvian and South American-influenced cuisine.
It's announced it'll be offering 50 per cent off food, up to a maximum of £10 per person, throughout September.
Like the official Eat Out to Help Out scheme, it'll be available from Monday to Wednesday on dine-in meals only. It won't apply to any drinks, however.
Foodwell, New Bailey
Located just across the river from Spinningfields, LA-inspired restaurant, bar and yoga studio serves a health-focused menu with nutritious dishes such as miso-grilled salmon, poke bowls, and pressed juices.
It's remained closed throughout August so it hasn't been able to take advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Instead, it's launching its own version of the deal in September, offering 50 per cent off food from Wednesday to Friday all month.
Bosses posted on Facebook: "Since we missed the EAT OUT TO HELP OUT scheme throughout August, we thought it was only right to say a HUGE THANKYOU for your continued support & loyalty by extending it off our own backs through the WHOLE OF SEPTEMBER!"
The restaurant reopens on August 28. Bookings are necessary to claim the offer.
Northern Quarter bistro TNQ is consistently rated by the guidebooks for its approachable but accomplished modern British cooking.
It just got more affordable too, stretching out the Eat Out to Help Out deal into September and all week, meaning diners can enjoy half price food - up to a value of £10 per person - from Monday to Friday.
The offer is available on the a la carte menu only from September 1 to 22, excluding weekends. Unlike the official government scheme, it can't be used in conjunction with any other offers.
Just quote TNQ50 when booking to claim it.
Pizza chain Franco Manca is slicing its prices in September - including at its Manchester restaurant overlooking Piccadilly Gardens.
The same rules apply as for the original Eat Out to Help Out scheme - up to 50 per cent off food and soft drinks,capped at £10, when you dine in from Monday to Wednesday.
That means a simple marinara will cost you just £2.60, while the most expensive pizza - topped with pork salami, wild broccoli, San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella - will set you back £4.48.
"Rishi paid half your bill in August. Franco will pay half in September," bosses said.
Restaurant chain Bill's has a newly-opened site in Spinningfields as well as a recently-refurbished Trafford Centre branch.
Both will be offering their own twist on the Eat Out to Help Out deal, with a special menu of dishes all priced at £10 - a reduction of up to 50 per cent off the usual prices.
The £10 menu will be available from Monday to Wednesday throughout September.
Headed up by ex-Lowry chef Andrew Green, Hotel Indigo's in-house restaurant Mamucium serves a refined but relaxed menu reworking classic British dishes.
The team are giving guests a 50 per cent off voucher to use during September, up to a maximum value of £10 per person.
It's available on the restaurant's Mamucium Classics menu, featuring dishes such as Lancashire onion soup, Swaledale beef and ale pie and sticky toffee pudding, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all month.
Diners need to sign up to the mailing list at mamuciummcr.com to claim the voucher and make a booking to redeem it.
Didsbury curry house Khandoker is also offering its own version of the Eat Out to Help Out deal in September.
Diners can enjoy 50 per cent off food, up to a maximum value of £10 per person, from Mondays to Wednesdays all month - but must book in advance to claim the discount.
Bosses posted on Instagram: "You’ve loved it, we’ve loved it! We’ve decided that Eat Out to Help Out is here to STAY!! Available in September on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays! How nice are we to you?!"


text:
General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet brand said Friday it is helping move an animated snail who will make his debut on the big screen this summer.
DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. partnered with Chevrolet designers to help create animated versions of a Chevrolet Camaro and Indy cars that appear in the upcoming film "Turbo." The movie hits theaters July 17.
Turbo, a snail and the main character in the movie, receives his super speed after he encounters a Camaro, GM said. The Chevrolet bowtie is seen during the Indianapolis 500 in the film, as it at will be at the actual race this weekend.
" 'Turbo' is one of the most anticipated films of the summer and we couldn't be more excited about this collaboration, which aligns perfectly with Chevrolet's renewed presence in IndyCar," Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer of Chevrolet, said in a statement. "Millions of future drivers will be inspired by Turbo to realize their dreams both big and small."
Chevrolet has created a real-life replica of the Camaro featured in "Turbo." The car has been shown at auto shows and will be at the Indianapolis 500 this weekend.
The brand also will use "Turbo" as part of a global advertising campaign to include TV, print, online ads, social media and involve dealerships in some markets.
Next month, Chevy will begin airing a 30-second ad that features the Traverse and segues into a short preview of "Turbo." The ad even gets that animated Camaro some airtime.
It will be shown during family-friendly programs and also will run in movie theaters before family movies, said Chevrolet spokeswoman Cristi Vazquez and Matt Scarlett, advertising manager for the Traverse. Print ads will run in family-related magazines, Scarlett said.
Chevrolet will air an animated ad in other global markets. DreamWorks Animations and Chevy's advertising agency, Commonwealth, worked together to create custom animation that will allow the brand to adjust the television ad to fit a vehicle that makes the most sense in a given market, Scarlett said.
"In a film about a slow snail who dreams of being fast, who better than Chevrolet to give our hero his first taste of high-speed driving on the open road?" Anne Globe, DreamWorks Animation chief marketing officer, said in a statement.


text:
Blake Wolfe is an award-winning journalist and editor, who joined PAX after nearly 10 years in Canada’s newspaper industry. In addition to PAX, his work has been featured in publications such as the Metroland Media group of newspapers and the Toronto Sun.
A lot can happen in two years.
In 2017, TRVL.com launched its service in Canada, offering a unique consumer-facing booking portal that enabled travellers to essentially become their own travel agent and receive payment for contributing recommendations to a global network.
Fast forward to late 2019: following a complete turnaround, TRVL.com has now partnered with Discover The World and rebranded as a B2B hotel booking platform embracing traditional travel agents over travellers themselves, bringing their expertise online and giving them a cut of the ever-growing OTA pie with an agent-exclusive platform, while building an international network of agents.
So why the change?
Speaking to PAX during an exclusive interview this week, TRVL.com founder Jochem Wijnands provided some insight into the shift, which took place following an analysis of the site’s most frequent users.
“When we started out, I thought that travel agents were pretty much gone,” he explained. “But there’s many out there and they’re very active and passionate…. We made that pivot because we looked at our numbers and we learned that 80 per cent of all bookings made on the platform were made by professional agents.
“What we’re trying to build in the long run is a global travel agent network. We want to bring that type of information to all of the travel agents – almost like a Wikipedia for agents.”
And with Canada as its pilot market for the new format, Canadian travel agents have the chance to get in on the ground floor; while the site is currently only available in English, plans are in place to launch in French and other languages, Wijnands said.
It’s the latest incarnation of what started out as a travel magazine and the world’s first mobile publishing platform, a spin-off of which was sold to Apple in 2014. It’s also a very different platform from what it was 2017, when the original incarnation of TRVL.com caught the attention of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO): by providing financial incentive to travellers to make travel recommendations, TICO argued that the site was operating as an unlicensed travel business in the province, prompting TRVL.com to temporarily suspend operations in Ontario at the time.
“We’ve come full circle – I think TICO’s going to be pleased,” Wijnands joked.
"The currency of wisdom"
Open only to registered and active travel agents (all registrants are vetted before their accounts are activated), TRVL.com has partnered with OTAs including Booking.com, Hotels.com, Priceline, Agoda and Expedia (former Expedia executive Arthur Hoffman is currently CEO of TRVL.com) to offer agents more than 2 million properties around the globe. Wijnands said that while the site will focus on hotels and resorts for now, TRVL.com plans to expand into tours and packages in the future.
Users can also compare price and commission rates amongst OTAs on the same hotel and search by a number of criteria, including room features, travel style, proximity to local attractions (which can also be displayed in a map view) and more. A world map displaying agents’ clients booked through TRVL.com allows users to keep track of and contact those travellers in-destination, Wijnands added.
The heart of TRVL.com, however, is what Ian Murray, executive vice-president at Discover the World – Global, described to PAX as “the currency of wisdom.”
Agents make recommendations on properties to their peers, with the most-recommended hotels more likely to appear in searches and creating a community-generated database; in turn, quality recommendations can earn agents a thank-you from a fellow user, building their reputation as a reliable source for travel information. Agents can also create lists of properties based around a theme (for example, properties geared toward different types of travellers or those found within a specific region, such as hotels along the U.S.’ famed Route 66) and share them with other TRVL.com users.
“We know in our private lives that we want to share an amazing experience with others – it’s almost a human condition,” Murray said, adding that Canada was chosen as a test market for the new format due to the “size and adaptability” of the travel agent community here. “It’s an agent platform – it has its own momentum and that sharing will create further value down the road. The ultimate value will be the improved customer experience. That’s the final endorsement that this community is driving toward.”
The perfect match
To bring the new TRVL.com to Canada’s travel agents, Wijnands told PAX that he chose Discover The World based on the company’s experience and reach, selling dozens of travel brands in more than 100 countries around the globe in an exclusive B2B capacity.
According to Joanne Lundy, Discover The World’s director for Canada, the feeling is mutual.
“We love nothing better than finding something brand new that travel agents are going to really like,” Lundy told PAX. “We’re the pilot country for agents to say ‘I wish you could add this.’ It’s exciting because they’re helping us design the platform. Agents are excited to have one platform that doesn’t force them into others. They also like the opportunity to link with their peer group.”
For Wijnands, it’s all part of an effort “to put the human element back into the travel booking process.
“We don’t want AI, we want IA – intelligent advisors,” Wijnands said. “Our most precious intelligence is human. If you have hundreds of thousands of passionate people out there already, we just want to get those people connected to take a journey that will ultimately put them centre-stage.”
Travel agents interested in joining the community can start by visiting TRVL.com.
Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!


text:
PPC Weekly Digest on 19-23 of February 2024
Google Enhances Consent Requirements for European Advertisers
In a significant update, Google has announced the enforcement of stricter consent requirements for advertisers targeting European Economic Area (EEA) traffic. With the introduction of Consent Mode Version 2 (v2), Google aims to fortify user privacy by demanding advertisers to secure and share user consent for ad personalization and remarketing. This move, set to take effect in March 2024, mandates advertisers to adopt the new consent framework to maintain their advertising capabilities within the region. The update is in line with Google’s ongoing efforts to comply with the EU User Consent Policy, emphasizing the tech giant’s commitment to enhancing user privacy and data protection standards.
Google Cracks Down on Impersonation and False Affiliations in Ads
Google is set to update its Misrepresentation policy in Google Ads, targeting deceptive practices such as impersonation and false affiliations. This policy revision, effective in March 2024, is designed to protect users from being misled by ads that falsely claim association with well-known entities. Violators of this policy will face severe repercussions, including account suspension and a permanent ban from the Google Ads platform. The update highlights Google’s resolve in tackling fraudulent activities and fostering a trustworthy environment for users and advertisers alike.
Transition to eCPM Payment Model in Google AdSense
Google has transitioned its AdSense program to an eCPM (effective cost per thousand impressions) payment model, a move confirmed by Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin. This shift represents a departure from the previous cost-per-click (CPC) model, aiming to modernize how publishers monetize their online content. Under the new model, publishers will receive 80% of ad revenue after fees, offering a more dynamic revenue-sharing structure. This change, which aligns with industry standards for display advertising, encourages publishers to adapt their content and SEO strategies to maximize impressions and, consequently, revenue. Google’s update to AdSense underscores its commitment to evolving its platforms to better serve the needs of publishers and advertisers in the digital ecosystem.
and stay up-to-date with the latest news about our platform and affiliate marketing.


text:
Concerns over credit quality have driven down the prices of credit card portfolios, according to a survey by R.K. Hammer Investment Bankers.
Average weighted premiums on portfolio sales dropped to 13.25% in the first seven and a half months of 1997, from 17.70% in the same period last year.
The survey covered 13 sales of portfolios, ranging from $20 million to $1 billion and totaling $4.5 billion.
Robert K. Hammer, president of the Thousand Oaks, Calif., banking firm, said he expects another $7 billion or $8 billion of sales to occur this year, bringing the total of deals to about 20.
"This is a weakened market," Mr. Hammer said. The survey findings "are a reflection of concerns over credit quality and the lower earnings that would result" from portfolios with high delinquency and chargeoff rates, he said.
Conversely, the average size deal this year rose to $346 million, up from $295 million last year. Typically, about two-thirds of the deals are for less than $100 million, Mr. Hammer said, because most banks selling portfolios tend to be smaller.
This year is different because issuers across the board are affected by record delinquency and chargeoff rates, he said.
Banks, he said, are selling card portfolios because they want to focus on core markets or bolster loan-loss reserves. Or a bank may decide to sell because a cobranding or affinity card relationship has ended.
This year Barnett Banks of Florida sold part of its portfolio to Household International because it wanted to focus on customers in its home state. Household took over the accounts outside Florida.
Bank of New York Co., which has been suffering from high delinquency rates, has made multiple sales this year. There is speculation that it will soon sell the remainder of its portfolio to Chase Manhattan Corp.
A number of cobranding relationships have unraveled this year, including most recently the NationsBank-Blockbuster Entertainment program. Mr. Hammer said he would not be surprised if NationsBank soon puts its Blockbuster accounts on the block.
Mr. Hammer said card issuers today are more likely to sell pieces of their portfolios than to exit the business entirely. He cited deals by Norwest Corp., CoreStates Financial Corp., and Bank of New York, each of which shed portfolio pieces that were deemed the least successful.
Partial portfolio sales are largely driven by issuers' data mining skills, Mr. Hammer said. Card issuers are better able to identify which portions of their card portfolios should be sold because they can predict how those accounts will perform.
The most aggressive buyers of portfolios this year are Chase Manhattan, PNC Bank Corp., Associates First Capital, and GE Capital Services. Associates and the General Electric Co. unit accounted for more than two- thirds of the purchases this year.
While a significant number of portfolios were sold at below 14% premiums, Mr. Hammer said, higher-quality portfolios remain, with chargeoff rates around 3% or 4%, that are selling for 16.3% to 19.3% premiums.
Accounts in better portfolios can sell for $75 to $100 apiece. Lower- quality accounts go for as little as $40.
Mr. Hammer's survey did not include transactions of less than $15 million, of which he estimates there are 50 to 60 per year. He also did not include card portfolios sold as a result of a banking acquisition, such as Banc One Corp.'s takeover of First USA Inc.
Donald Berman, president of Cardholder Management Services of Plainview, N.Y., said Mr. Hammer's findings are "not surprising."
"Premiums are coming down because portfolios are not as profitable as they were last year," Mr. Berman said. "What we are seeing are larger- portfolio owners deciding they can't compete and selling part or all of their portfolios."


text:
Islamabad: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said the government is trying to transform traditional foreign policy into economic diplomacy to give new boost to trade and economic relations with neighbours and friendly countries.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Thursday he said that unfortunately our political and economic relations with friendly countries including China and Middle East countries do not reflect our level of relationship with these countries in terms of trade.
Ahsan Iqbal said the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China has provided new base for expanded strong economic relations as it was focused on the economic development of the country. He hoped this visit will strengthen Pak-China relations and boost economic growth of Pakistan.
Responding a question Minister said a number of important agreements were signed during the visit of Prime Minister which will pave way for rapid economic development of the country. He said that an institutional framework has been constituted to review the economic and trade corridor between China and Pakistan. He said a committee has been set up in this regard which will hold its meeting after each six months to review the progress on the projects signed during this visit.


text:
The manufacturer produces specialty glass and ceramics that are used in products like laptops, televisions, and laboratory products.
Looking for leads, investment insights, or competitive intelligence?
News about Corning
Samsung and Huawei's new foldable smartphones have plastic screens, not glass.
Even though its CEO said it would make “sense” last year.
The jobs would be at a new facility in a location that is yet to be determined.
A partner is benefiting from the first investment.


text:
Fenix Parts, a recycler and reseller of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive products, is seeking to fund a roll-up acquisition of eight auto salvage businesses with proceeds from a US$121m IPO.
The playbook for funding early-stage biotechnology companies is well established. Two-plus years into a booming investor interest in new drugs has been a windfall for the industry – the Nasdaq Biotech Index (.NBI) is up 50% since the beginning of 2013, and 168 companies have gone public on US exchanges over that period of time, based on Thomson Reuters data.
In a sign of continued investor interest in early-stage biotechnology companies, Blueprint Medicines and CoLucid Pharmaceuticals appear headed toward successful outcomes on their IPOs. Both deals are over-subscribed ahead of scheduled pricing after the market close today, sources close to the deals told IFR.


text:
Beginning this week, Blockbuster Inc. will start offering Blu-ray movies, for rent and sale in all of its corporate stores in the U.S., as well as in Canada.
To highlight the availability of Blu-ray in its stores, Blockbuster is installing Blu-ray kiosks in the center of its stores. Featuring a 42-inch high-definition TV with movies playing via a PLAYSTATION 3 console, the Blu-ray kiosks will enable customers to experience the movie-viewing advantages of high-definition technology.
As for Blockbuster's by-mail service, in addition to the selection of Blu-ray titles it carries online, this week Blockbuster began offering online subscribers a Blu-ray preference setting so they can automatically indicate that they want to receive all available movies in the high-definition format.
Eyes Circuit City Purchase
In related news, Blockbaster also announced today that it has offered to acquire Circuit City Stores, Inc.for at least $6.00 per share in cash.
The offer was made in a letter sent to Circuit City Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Philip Schoonover on February 17th on behalf of the Blockbuster Board of Directors.
The company said that to date, Circuit City has failed to provide due diligence necessary to allow Blockbuster to make a definitive proposal.
"Blockbuster is making its proposal public because it believes the shareholders of Circuit City should have the opportunity to participate in determining the destiny of the company," Blockbuster said in a statement.
Blockbuster noted the combination of the two companies would result in an $18 billion global retail enterprise uniquely positioned to capitalize on the growing convergence of media content and electronic devices.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO - In March, Twitter and Facebook, along with other tech companies, faced off over which of them would get the rights to live-stream NFL games on Thursday nights.
Twitter, in a rare win against larger rivals, emerged victorious with the deal. The NFL saw disadvantages with some of the other bids. Facebook, for example, had set tough terms, under which the social network wanted to sell all the ads that would air during the football games, essentially cutting out the sales relationship between the NFL and marketers, according to two people who asked for anonymity because the discussions were private.
Twitter, in contrast, agreed to pay the NFL about $10 million to stream 10 games and to sell only a portion of the ad inventory exclusively. Twitter, which is based in San Francisco, wanted the Thursday night games because of their popularity; each game drew an average of 13 million viewers last season.
"Having that live programming every night when sports are playing - with no paywall, no logging in and directly from the source - that's key to us," said Anthony Noto, chief financial officer for Twitter and formerly for the NFL, who helped forge the streaming deal.
'The right partner'
When Twitter streams its first NFL game Sept. 15, it will get to assess whether its vigorous pursuit will pay off - and whether live streaming can viably be a linchpin of its future.
Since April, Twitter has signed a series of live-streaming deals, including with Wimbledon, CBS News, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and Pac-12 Networks. Twitter is also in discussions with other organizations, including Major League Soccer and the Professional Golfers Association, for similar agreements, according to people briefed on the talks.
Facebook declined to comment on the NFL talks. In a statement at the time, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, said Twitter "is where live events unfold and is the right partner." Major League Soccer declined to comment on discussions with Twitter, and the PGA did not respond to requests for comment.
For Twitter, the bet on live streaming is crucial to turning itself into a mainstream internet destination after other efforts have failed. Live streaming could finally broaden Twitter's appeal, attracting an even wider audience. And perhaps more important, live events would be another way to sell video ads. If streaming football or basketball games on Twitter's mobile apps and on desktop computers, along with other platforms, draws viewers, the company could sell more video ads, which typically command a premium.
Twitter has directed Noto, a former Goldman Sachs banker with deep ties to the sports media industry, to lead the charge on live streaming and has assigned an engineering team to create its streaming video player. Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive, considers streaming a critical component of the company's focus on "live" experiences, along with Periscope, its app that allows smartphone users to live-stream video.
To bolster the effort, Twitter is in talks with Apple to bring the Twitter app to Apple TV, which would potentially let millions of Apple TV users watch the streaming NFL games, according to the two people briefed on the discussions.
Apple and Twitter declined to comment.
Yet even as Twitter increases its live-streaming efforts, so are many of its rivals. Snapchat and Facebook are working on deals with media companies to acquire live-streaming rights to sporting events and entertainment; Instagram is also experimenting with live products. All of the companies are fiercely competing for video advertising dollars, as marketers slowly begin to shift money to online video promotions and away from television ads.


text:
Hong Kong container throughput dips 1.7pc to 1.8m TEU in August
HONG Kong's container volume dipped slightly in August falling 1.7 per cent to 1.76 million TEU compared to 1.79 million TEU in the same month last year, according to statistics from the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board.
Most of Hong Kong's volume is from the container terminals at Kwai Tsing that handled 1.34 million boxes in August, an increase of 3.5 per cent over the same month last year. However, boxes handled by the other terminals in Hong Kong saw a sharp decline of 15.5 per cent to 420,000 TEU compared to 497,000 TEU in August, 2016.
Export containers totalled 635,000 TEU, a year-on-year increase of 2.6 per cent. Imports totalled 707,000 TEU, 4.4 per cent higher than in August last year.
The port of Singapore handled 2.95 million TEU last month, while the world's busiest port, Shanghai, handled 3.46 million container units.


text:
Details of Microsoft’s goal to mould Windows into a modular operating system to work across all manner of gadgets have surfaced, under the name Andromeda OS.
Workers at Redmond familiar with Microsoft’s internal projects spilled the information to Windows Central, and explained that Andromeda OS has the goal of making Windows more flexible so that it can run on devices not normally suited for an operating system that’s based on old and demanding code, architecture and features some 30-years-old.
Instead of simply trying to scale Windows to run on say smart watches or low-powered tablets, Andromeda OS will turn Windows 10 into a modular system suitable for different architectures rather than the x86 architecture used by desktops, laptops, and tablets running Intel or AMD chips.
And functions can be added or taken away from Andromeda OS to suit the system or device it’s required to run on, essentially offering an easy way for developers to use a Windows OS without being hampered by performance-sapping features their device might not need.
If Microsoft can make Andromeda OS work, then it would likely spell an end for all the variants of Windows 10 that are currently out in the wild, such as Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 on Xbox.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft will aim to have Andromeda OS initially focused on mobile devices, with it scheduled to make its official debut some time in 2018. This release date would make sense as it’s around the time we could expect to see a Surface smartphone make its debut, where it would be logical to have a component-based version of Windows 10 rather than the lacklustre attempts Microsoft has had with mobile operating systems in the form of Windows Phone.
Given Microsoft has a suite of hardware and platforms under its corporate banner, such as HoloLens, the Surface range and various smart devices, having a single operating system that can work across all of them would seem like a shrewd move and in keeping with Microsoft’s Windows strategy. Redmond already has two unified platforms under its belt; OneCore and the Universal Windows Platform, both of which make it easier for developers to create Windows-based apps than can be easily run across different devices.
What tech would you like to see have the modular treatment? Let us know on Facebook or tweet @TrustedReviews.


text:
The company is looking for new ways to keep retail customers in the fold. BMW Financial expects vehicles coming off leases to decline to 94,000 in 2011 from 143,000 this year after industry sales collapsed in 2008 and 2009.
Tim Sturm, general manager of vehicle sales at BMW Group Financial Services, said BMW Financial's retail owner loyalty -- as measured by people who move from one sale or lease into another and stay with BMW Financial -- is about 18 percent. The company thinks the new program can help almost double that by the end of 2012.
The dealers in the pilot of the program “did very well with it,” Sturm said during an interview this month at the National Auto Auction Association convention. “They were able to show us hard numbers in terms of sales and additional revenue that they gained because of it.”
Sturm said BMW Financial and dealers always have courted customers before their lease contracts expired, helping bolster the loyalty rate among those customers to more than three times that of retail customers.
BMW Financial wanted to reach out to customers, especially lessees, as they started to consider getting another vehicle, Bugbee said in a meeting Monday with Automotive News reporters and editors.
“Sometimes, the first indication we had that a customer was back in the market was when his lease was paid off early,” Bugbee said. By month 33 of a lease -- often shortly after the vehicle is worth more than the remaining payments -- about 55 percent of customers are paid off, he said.
Sturm said dealers also are reaching out to customers who purchased new or certified used vehicles.
Chris Allen, lease portfolio manager at Tischer BMW in Silver Spring, Md., said his dealership participated in the pilot, and he thought the program worked.
For example, Allen had a customer who owned a 2007 3 series with a monthly payment of $650. That customer is now driving a 2011 3 series equipped with a navigation system and satellite radio, which the previous car didn't have. The customer qualified for a special finance rate of 0.9 percent and is paying $632 a month on a 60-month contract.
The store sold a new car and took in a vehicle for its used-car inventory.
“We don't have to go to our system to pull the customer information,” Allen said. “It makes it easier to find everything in one place.”


text:
The U.S. government announced its latest update of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) today, advising Americans to eat less salt, sugar and fat, and to increase intake of fruits, veggies and fish. Pretty familiar stuff. But the 2010 DGA also recommends something else, for the first time: that Americans eat less overall.
Why is that a big deal? Because it’s an acknowledgment that obesity — and overconsumption — are causing serious health problems in the U.S., and that people should make it a priority to eat less food. Long-time industry critics like nutrition expert Marion Nestle are pleased with the DGA update. “I’m in shock,” Nestle wrote on her blog, Food P0litics. (More on Time.com: New Dietary Guidelines: Cut Salt and Sugar, Eat More Fish)
The new DGA also makes some explicit suggestions, in a way it hasn’t done in the past. For instance, rather than vaguely recommending that Americans increase intake of fruits and veggies, the updated guidelines explicitly state that half of your plate should be taken up by fruits and vegetables. That’s much more concrete, translatable advice.
But, as Nestle points out, the guidelines tend to call out certain foods only when advising people to “eat more.” When the message is “eat less,” however, the DGA mostly resorts to identifying nutrients — like sodium, solid fat or added sugars — instead of pinpointing actual foods you should eat less of, like red meat, white bread, cookies, soda and potato chips. Nestle writes:
That’s politics, for you.
Let’s give them credit for “drink water instead of sugary drinks.” That comes close. But I listened in on the press conference and conference call and several people pushed federal officials about why they didn’t come out and say “eat less meat.” The answers waffled.
To be fair, as the New York Timesnoted, the report does at least suggest that people “avoid fatty foods like pizza, desserts and cheese (albeit deep in the report).” (More on Time.com: More Calls to Overhaul Deceptive Front-of-Package Labeling)
Nestle’s other beef, so to speak, is that the DGA puts the onus of good nutrition on individuals instead of the food industry:
This is all about personal responsibility. What about the “toxic” food environment? Shouldn’t these guidelines be directed at the food and restaurant industries?
In other words, shouldn’t restaurants be advised to serve smaller portions? And shouldn’t food makers be pressured to reduce their copious use of salt, added sugar and fat in processed foods?
The criticism brings to mind another recent disagreement between industry and government — over front-of-pack nutrition labels on packaged foods. Last year, with industry participation, the Food and Drug Administration began looking into designing a new, voluntary labeling system that would avoid the confusing and often deceptive wording that currently appears on package fronts. The “health” claims that food makers have long used on the front of packages — “High in fiber!” or “All natural!” — are more marketing ploy than legitimate nutritional information, and they result in misled, confused and distracted consumers. (More on Time.com: Study: Calorie Counts in Restaurants May Not Curb Eating Habits)
But after months of negotiation, talks between industry and the Obama administration broke down, and food makers went ahead and announced on Jan. 24 that they were launching their own voluntary label called “Nutrition Keys,” rather than waiting for the FDA to establish its own guidelines. Of course, the industry version departs from what the government had in mind. The New York Times reported:
The Obama administration wanted the package-front labels to emphasize nutrients that consumers might want to avoid, like sodium, calories and fat. But manufacturers insisted that they should also be able to use the labels to highlight beneficial nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and protein.
The administration concluded that “in the end, the label was going to be confusing, because those things would be included out of context, and it could make unhealthy foods appear like they had some redeeming quality,” said an official who was not authorized to discuss the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. For example, the official said, “ice cream would be deemed healthy because it would have calcium in it.”
At the very least, however, the Nutrition Keys label does put total amounts of saturated fat, sodium and sugar out front. Which means that careful readers of the DGA can track what percentage of their daily maximum allowance of these ingredients a given product contains. (More on Time.com: 5 Ways to Improve Your Diet on the Cheap)
Let’s just hope Americans have been reading the DGA more carefully than Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who said during this morning’s press conference announcing the update: “I must admit personally that I never read the dietary guidelines until I got this job.”


text:
Brits can now create Big Mac-style burgers at home as Iceland rolls out a triple-layered bun.
The Big Triple Bun, which hit shelves yesterday (21 May), is a three-layered sesame seed brioche burger bun, which Iceland said was designed to help shoppers recreate the fast food classic at home. It has a full crown, wedge and heel, according to the retailer.
The bun is priced at 69p for a pack of two. Iceland suggested pairing it with two 100% British Beef Quarter Pounders, British Mature Cheddar Cheese Slices, iceberg lettuce, onions and Mrs Elswood Burger Gherkins plus sauce, with Thin & Crispy Coated French Fries on the side.
Iceland claimed the triple-layered bun was a UK supermarket first and predicted that it would be the barbecue trend of the summer.
In 2018, research by Lantmännen Unibake brand Americana found that brioche is the burger bun of choice for burger fans in the UK, followed by seeded brioche and grill-marked buns. The company recently teamed up with ‘Burger Lad’ Simon Dukes to help identify new industry trends and research that have the potential to drive new product development in the future.


text:
Los Angeles, CA – June 1, 2015 – Telesign, the Mobile Identity Company, today announced that Stacy Stubblefield, Co-Founder and VP Product Strategy, has been named to The Channel Company‘s prestigious 2015 CRN¨ Women of the Channel. The annual list honors outstanding female executives across vendor channel organizations, distributors, solution providers and other women prominently involved in the IT channel ecosystem for their successes and the far-reaching impact they are having on the technology industry going forward.
This year’s Women of the Channel were carefully reviewed and selected by the editors of CRN based on their accomplishments and the influence they wield over the technology channel.
As a previous honoree of the list, Stacy has continued her influential work as Co-Founder of Telesign by further growing the company’s channel partner network. With channel partners as a vital part of Telesign’s ecosystem, Stacy fosters these relationships in many ways, whether it’s presenting innovative industry solutions at channel partner events or overseeing strategy on new products that can improve channel partner business. Furthermore, Stacy has been an instrumental part of Telesign’s support of women in the workplace, through groups like Women@Telesign which focuses on career advancement, mentor programs and more.
“These executives have made a lasting mark on the industry, expanding the breadth of influence in the technology channel,” said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. “We congratulate the Women of the Channel, and celebrate their innovative contributions and commitment to the IT channel community.”
“It is an honor to be recognized on this prestigious list of influential women in the technology channel community,” says Stacy Stubblefield. “Telesign is dedicated to creating channel programs that support our partners’ business, and we believe this recognition from The Channel Company is further proof that we’re executing in a way that greatly benefits our partner ecosystem.”The Women of the Channel will be featured in the June issue of CRN, and online at www.CRN.com.
# # #
Telesign is the leader in Mobile Identity solutions, helping customers secure more than 3.5 billion end user accounts worldwide and prevent registration fraud, while improving user experience and managing costs. Telesign delivers account security and fraud prevention with two-factor authentication based on each user’s Mobile Identity (phone number, device and behavior) and driven by real-time, global intelligence, including reputation scoring and device data. To find out more, visit http://www.telesign.com or follow us on Twitter – @aherreratelesign-com
About The Channel Company
The Channel Company, with established brands including CRN¨, XChange¨ Events, IPED¨ and SharedVue¨, is the channel community’s trusted authority for growth and innovation. For more than three decades, we have leveraged our proven and leading-edge platforms to deliver prescriptive sales and marketing solutions for the technology channel. The Channel Company provides Communication, Recruitment, Engagement, Enablement, Demand Generation and Intelligence services to drive technology partnerships. Learn more at https://www.thechannelco.com/.


text:
With less than one week to go before Google’s big hardware event, a new report claims that Google is working on a third Pixel 4 phone in addition to the two models that’ve been leaked extensively so far.
A 5G version of the Pixel 4 is reportedly in “test production”, and it could be announced as soon as Google’s October 15 event. That’s according to sources speaking to Nikkei Asian Review, who say that the 4G Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are in mass production and will be ready to ship after Google’s announcement next week.
Today’s report goes on to caution that Google could decide to push the announcement of its 5G Pixel phone until spring 2020 alongside a new budget-focused Pixel handset.
Finally, it’s said that this 5G Pixel will be powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor.
With several carriers launching 5G networks and some 5G smartphones already coming to market, it makes sense that Google would be considering a 5G version of its flagship Pixel 4. There’s no word on when the 5G Pixel could launch if it is announced next week, and since it’s in test production while the 4G Pixels are in mass production, it may not be available at the same time even it is announced on October 15.
Would you be interested in a 5G Google Pixel?


text:
i-Size seats are tested to a higher standard for side impacts, and offer better protection
Child and baby car seat laws changed in the UK last year making regulations stricter, to make it safer for children.
The new laws required parents or guardians to adhere to a more stringent set of rules to prevent that young people were best protected when in the car.
Under the new rules, only children who are 22kg or more, or 125cm tall, will be able to use backless booster seats.
Previously, children who weighed 15kg or less were allowed to use these seats – however, this has since been deemed unsafe.
All children under 12 years old or measuring less than 4ft 5in tall (135 cm) will be required to travel in a car seat.
Once the child is older than 12 or reaches the requisite height, they are allowed to travel in a regular seat.
Babies who are 15 months or younger will also have to travel in a rear-facing seat.
Car seats should be replaced when a baby's head is level with the top of the seat. Babies that are under 9kg should travel in a baby carrier and not a child seat.
However, parents are still making a mistake when buying new baby car seats, finds new research.
Which? found that 52 per cent of parents are completely unaware of the safety i-Size child and baby car seats.
Of these, 45 per cent were for parents of babies 12 months and under, which is the target audience for these seats.
'i-size' is a new EU safety regulation for child car seats (ECE R129).
It was first introduced in July 2013 and it makes a baby car seat easy to use and apply and provides better protection for passengers from side impacts.
However, i-size seat apply to just Isofix seats and are based on a child’s height rather than their weight.
i-size rearward-facing restraints are for babies up to 15 months old and can help protect them for longer.
UK introduces NEW car seat law
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
The benefit of having a rear-facing seat is that in the case of an accident, the babies head will be protected from an impact by the padding in the seat.
Emily Moulder, Halfords’ car seat expert says: “i-Size seats are tested to a higher standard for side impacts, and offer better protection, especially of the head and neck.
“They use height of the child, rather than weight, to determine the right size seat.”
However, parents worried that they may have to run out and buy a new seat have been reassured that is not the case.
“Regulation is being introduced slowly so though it will become normal there’s no need to worry about replacing your old car seat just yet,” she added.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Milwaukee entrepreneurs welcome federal equity crowdfunding rules
Milwaukee entrepreneurs and supporters expect new federal rules allowing for equity crowdfunding will spark investment deals in southeastern Wisconsin, but they’re still unsure how the process will play out.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released proposed rules in October that would regulate how stock in startups can be sold through online intermediaries to accredited and non-accredited investors, a delayed move that entrepreneurs nationwide have eagerly awaited since the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act was passed by Congress in 2012. Meanwhile, Wisconsin and other states went ahead and passed their own intrastate equity crowdfunding legislation.
Panelists said they are looking forward to the federal crowdfunding rules taking effect.
“I love the concept. The idea that the average Joe can play along in this game as an investor within the regulations, I think fundamentally the idea is sound,” said Andy Nunemaker, a Milwaukee serial entrepreneur who currently is CEO of startup Dynamis Software Corp. in West Allis. “It’s just how is it going to play out.”
Dan Steininger, president and co-founder of BizStarts Milwaukee Inc., called equity crowdfunding “another tool in the toolbox” for early-stage firms to secure investments.
“I think it’ll start some deals, but there will be plenty of scams as well,” Steininger said during the panel discussion. “But I’m glad it’s happening. It’s going to give us an advantage that we don’t have right now as a region, access to capital we didn’t have before.”
The main issue he sees with the concept is how an individual in one part of the country will vet the entrepreneur and expect to be involved in the business if it’s located across the country.
“Most angel money is all about knowing the entrepreneur, getting involved, giving the advice and helping it go,” Steininger said. “How do you do that online with somebody out in Boston? I don’t know.”
Art Mellor, CEO of Milwaukee startup Zero Locus Inc. and a graduate of Gener8tor’s startup accelerator program, raised concerns about new rules with the JOBS Act that allow startups to advertise that they’re seeking equity investments. The change in general solicitation rules might apply to pitch events like those put on by Gener8tor and other groups, where entrepreneurs pitch their startup to investors and seek funds.
“It restricts your ability to publicly raise funds,” Mellor said during the panel discussion. “You have to be careful what you’re doing.”
Troy Vosseller, a Gener8tor co-founder, previously told The Business Journal that his group’s interpretation is that because they send private invitations to investors that they have previously established relationships with, their pitch events don’t constitute a general solicitation.
“To me that’s still a gray area without any case law around it whether it constitutes a general solicitation,” Vosseller said in September. “For the most part I think the SEC is not too interested in clamping down on accelerators like ourselves doing good work.”
Jeff Engel is The Business Journal's reporter covering the manufacturing industry and technology.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Bucks name Eppstein Uhen, Populous, HNTB as arena design team
- Couture lawsuit filed against Preserve Our Parks in circuit court
- Two Einstein Bros. Bagels in Wisconsin closing
- Brookfield Square unveils new design, tenants as construction begins
- Franklin officials, hungry for more retail, reach out to Zimmerman
- Cresa's Steve Palec joining Colliers brokerage office in Milwaukee
- Updated: Demolition starts for Shorewood Metro Market, apartments
- Sale of Extendicare leads to Milwaukee HQ closing
- Boistorous crowd salute 40 Under 40 winners: Slideshow
- Updated: Fast-tracked Wisconsin right-to-work bill clears committee
Sign up to receive Milwaukee Business Journal's Morning Edition and Afternoon Edition newsletters and breaking news alerts.
VICE PRESIDENT – COMMERCIAL LENDING First National Bank & Trust Company | Wichita, KS
COO and Senior Vice President (SVP) of Operations Ecumen | Saint Paul, MN
Sales Representative Quad/Graphics | Milwaukee, WI
Finance Adjunct Assistant Professor Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI
Digital Marketing Manager MRINetwork - The Lawler Group | Milwaukee, WI


text:
Valiant Entertainment has revealed its plans for Andy Diggle’s Shadowman #1, which kicks off a new ongoing series beginning in March.
Todd McFarlane, Gerry Duggan, John McCrea, Chris Sebela, Jody LeHeup, Brian Haberlin, Farel Dalrymple, and Rob Guillory will be making appearances at IMAGE EXPO in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, February 21st.
PRESS RELEASE Image Comics is pleased to announce that IMAGE EXPO will partner will return and for the first time ever and will be held in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, February 21st, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Leftbank Annex. Tickets are now available for purchase here. IMAGE EXPO is an all-day event for fans, the retailer community, and the press to experience a showcase of exciting Image Comics announcements. IMAGE EXPO 2018 will feature a line-up of some of the hottest names in comics and offers a unique experience for fans to have unprecedented access to the
SuBLime heads to North America’s largest dedicated yaoi fan convention as it announces its participation at YaoiCon 2017.
See for yourself why Dragon Con is not to be missed.
Wizard World has announced that it will add Montgomery, Ala., and Springfield, Mo., to its Comic Con calendar in the remainder of 2017.
Creation Entertainment’s 16th Annual Las Vegas Star TrekConvention kicks off this week and IDW Publishing will be representing with special guests.
What better way to open the Marvel Studios panel at the San Diego Comic Con than by announcing Michelle Pfeiffer will play Janet Van Dyne in the upcoming Ant-Man 2 movie? I don’t think there is…
The cast and creative team of Disney XD’s animated comedy-adventure series “DuckTales” made some “Tales” of their own at the D23 Expo 2017 on Saturday, July 15.
Hasbro officially opened ticket sales for the first-ever HASCON FANmily™ event, which will take place September 8-10, 2017.
Horror fans across the country are in for a treat as Wizard World, Inc. and Bloody-Disgusting are teaming to present the Wizard World Horror Fest.


text:
With the deluge of data rushing at journalists on a daily basis, there’s a key question you should ask before you send along that press release: So what? If your latest “news” doesn’t have a satisfying answer to that question, you may as well send it to the abyss.
A great quotation can be the perfect bait for a journalist and, as New York University’s Don Bates says, “because they’re someone’s ‘own’ words, editors will almost never edit them except to correct a grammatical error.”
Google is launching a new feature that will display three in-depth authoritative articles that will complement search. Sources can vary depending on search topic.
A recent Pew study shows that the demographics of social media users are changing quickly. The number of users has risen to 72%, a total that is up 5% from last year, and 64% since Pew began tracking it in 2005.
Did you know that PowerPoint is used at an estimated frequency of 350 times per second? With that statistic in mind, how many meetings have you sat in while three (or more) colleagues huddle around the clicker, trying to bring up the right slide?
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just added a new chapter to his already formidable legacy. The Internet tycoon on Monday announced that he will buy the Washington Post for $250 million, ending the Graham family’s 80-year ownership of the daily newspaper.
The opening session of the PR News Writing Boot Camp kicked off with quotes from some of the great ones—not public relations superstars, mind you, but literary geniuses such as Sylvia Plath, Herman Melville and Gabriel García Márquez.


text:
The Last of Us: Part 2 might have been indefinitely delayed, and others too are likely to be pushed back as a result of coronavirus, but right now you can rest assured that Cyberpunk 2077 is still set for a September release.
In a look back at 2019 on the CD PROJEKT website, Adam Kiciński, President and CEO of the CD PROJEKT Group, has assured fans that Cyberpunk 2077 is still on track for its announced release date despite the entire CD PROJEKT team working from home since March. “Our plans haven’t changed – we’re steaming towards the September release of Cyberpunk”, he said.
The news will be sweet to the ears of many, but September is still a fair bit away; things could change between now and then. Not that we want the release date to slip – we’re very much looking forward to getting stuck into Cyberpunk 2077, especially after what we’ve seen of it. Working from home undoubtedly introduces complications into development, though. And more importantly, we want all members of the CD PROJEKT team to remain safe. Still, set for release on 17th September for PS4, Xbox One and PC, we’ll be happy if the game remains something for us to look forward to in the not-so-distant future.


text:
Thousands of South Africans are living outside of their means accruing debt amid a rising cost of living, says Sebastien Alexanderson, founder of National Debt Advisors.
‘Debt addiction’ has worsened over the past decade and paired with the current economic turbulence and inflationary pressures – over-indebtedness will likely pose a risk to the financial health of many South Africans, Alexanderson said.
Recent data from the Veri Cred Credit Bureau (VCCB) showed that debt still outstanding at the end of Q2, 2021 reached approximately R2 trillion, with 717,495 people under debt review, he said.
“The average South African is spending up to 75% of their disposable income on debt repayments – a 5% increase from the long-term average of 70% as reported by the South African Reserve Bank.”
The SARB Monetary Policy Committee recently increased the repurchase rate (repo rate) by 75 basis points, putting consumers under even more pressure, with economists warning that further belt-tightening is required.
Alexanderson said the household debt to income ratio currently stands at 67% and it is expected to reach 75% by the end of 2022, as per global macro models and analysts expectations.
“Generally, a good debt-to-income ratio is anything less than or equal to 36%. Any ratio above 43% is considered too high and a sign of indebtedness.”
Alexanderson said that to combat rising debt, consumers need to live within their means.
National Debt Advisors suggested that the following signs could be indicative of addiction to debt within households:
- Spending more than 30% (or 50%) of their gross monthly income on total borrowing repayments (secured and unsecured);
- Being in arrears for more than two months on a credit commitment or household bill;
- Possessing four or more credit commitments; and,
- When spending on total borrowing repayments takes consumers below the poverty line.
Alexanderson offered the following tips on how to break the debt trap:
- Avoid using credit: One of the first signs that indicate that your debt situation is spiralling out of control is when you start feeling like you must rely on taking up more debt on a monthly basis, just to make it through the month. When this happens, it’s time to reevaluate your living expenses and look at ways to live more frugally by not taking on any new debt.
- Buy what you can afford, not what you can borrow: This phrase may sound simple but, as the unwritten rules of the debt trap would have it, it really isn’t. One of the devious ways that creditors might lure you into overwhelming debt is by offering you very attractive credit products that fall right at the edge of your affordability scale.
- Start getting into the habit of saving: The importance of building an emergency fund for unplanned expenses cannot be emphasised enough. Not having a savings plan for emergencies often requires people to take out loans when the rainy days do come.


text:
Lips are sealed over who made the first move. But despite the late hour, Luxottica sources hinted that the company expected great things from an agreement that will “give birth to a new generation of revolutionary devices”. For Google and Luxottica have clinched a deal to design, develop and distribute a new generation of Google Glass eyewear. Together.
Team at work
The Italian eyewear company, quoted on the Milan and New York stock exchanges, is teaming up with the Mountain View-based internet giant to work on a new generation of smart eyewear. In a joint note, the partners explain that they will be making “innovative, iconic, wearable devices”, exploiting Google’s skills at developing new technologies and the fashion experience of the Italian company Leonardo Del Vecchio founded in 1961. The note, issued late at night, says “the two Corporations will establish a team of experts devoted to working on the design, development, tooling and engineering of Glass products”.
Behind the scenes
Few details of the agreement have been released. Nothing is known of the financial aspects but it is known that Luxottica’s two most important brands, Ray-Ban and Oakley, will be involved. “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Google, and are proud to be once again setting the pace in the eyewear industry”, said the group’s CEO, Andrea Guerra. It is hard to say when the first Google-Luxottica glasses will reach the shops, or whether the new agreement will include the augmented-reality eyewear that Google has already launched. “This is a fashion problem as much as it is a technology problem”, said Astro Teller, who manages the Google Glass project. “We need to convince people to wear a computer on their face”. The now officially confirmed collaboration between the two companies is understood to have begun at least one year ago. Mr Teller, a Google vice president and head of the Google X research lab, added: “Luxottica has built an impressive history over the last 50 years. We are thrilled to be partnering with them as we look to push Glass [...] forward”.
On the stock exchange
The delighted Luxottica CEO tweeted the news that Google Glass eyewear will be made in Italy to the prime minister, Matteo Renzi: “Happy and proud. Exclusive global agreement with Google signed. We’re changing direction!” [Mr Renzi’s slogan is “Change direction” - Trans.]. In the wake of the announcement the company, which has more than 70,000 employees and a turnover of more than €7.3 billion, is the star of Piazza Affari. Luxottica shares have risen 4.5% to €40.70.
English translation by Giles Watson